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Tuesday, 2 November 2010

Braised Savoy cabbage Pilau with puy lentils

I’ve made and blogged about this dish before. I remember really enjoying the nuttiness and bite of the lentils and the texture of the braised cabbage. So I decided to make it again with one of the Savoy cabbages we picked up on Sunday.

This time though I found the flavour of the Savoy cabbage a little bitter. Still it was rather nice, especially the lentils releasing that earthy nutty flavour.This dish is good at room temperature. I deliberately decided to cook enough for 4 people. As the leftovers were going to be taken into work for lunch the following day.

Optional: It’s a lovely and moist dish, but you could serve with Soured cream, Greek or natural yogurt if you so wish.Braised savoy cabbage Pilau with lentilsServes 4Ingredients 1 pint/550ml vegetable stock made with 1 teaspoon of vegetable stock powder200g of uncooked Basmati rice, washed100g puy lentils or brown or green lentils, washedSalt and pepper to taste2 tablespoons of olive oil1 medium onion finely slices2 cloves of garlic, crushedA small Savoy cabbage or ½ large one thinly slices, outer leaves discarded and core cut out100ml of waterSalt and pepper to tasteMethodFor the riceIn a saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Add rice, the lentils and salt. Bring to a boil. The turn the heat low and cover the pan and cook for 25 – 30 minutes. Do not lift lid or stir during this time, as this will turn it to risotto consistency, rather than soft fluffy rice.In the last 5 minutes, lift lid, give it a stir and check if the rice and lentils are tender and the stock has been absorbed. Give it a few more minutes if it still has some stock. When the stock has been absorbed, turn off heat.For the braised cabbageWhile the pilau cooks, start the cabbage. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions, stirring frequently until they have softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, the cabbage, water and season to taste. Cover the pan and let the cabbage cook for 10 minutes, checking from time to time, to make sure the pan is not scorching. Remove the lid, and let the cabbage cook for a further 15 minutes or so over medium heat, stirring every five minutes until the water has disappeared and cabbage looks glossy. Turn off heat. Stir the braised cabbage into the rice, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. Adapted from Didi Eammons Vegetarian Planet.